Joint venture between Turkish, Italian defence giants aims to revolutionize UAV industry

Baykar, a leading Turkish drone manufacturer, and the Italian defence giant Leonardo have entered into a strategic cooperation agreement aimed at expanding their presence in the global unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market.

The agreement was formalised during the 4th Türkiye–Italy intergovernmental summit held in Rome, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

In response to a surge in defence industry orders in recent months, the two companies have agreed to jointly develop UAV technologies. The cooperation includes the signing of a preliminary protocol between Baykar and Leonardo, signed by Baykar’s Chairman of the Board, Selçuk Bayraktar and Leonardo’s CEO, Roberto Cingolani.

The joint initiative aims to assess and seize opportunities in the European UAV market, while also targeting broader international markets. The strategic cooperation will focus on several key areas, including UAV platforms, electronic systems, payloads, C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence), artificial intelligence, and integrated mission systems.

Baykar and Leonardo intend to create a joint venture that will operate from several sites in Italy, including Ronchi dei Legionari, Turin, Roma-Tiburtina, and Nerviano. This entity will support development and manufacturing activities aimed at strengthening both companies' competitiveness in the drone sector.

The collaboration reflects a shared goal of achieving a stable and influential position in the European and global UAV markets by integrating diverse technologies and ensuring compatibility across different operational ecosystems.

Both companies expect the joint venture to contribute significantly to the advancement of drone capabilities, leveraging Leonardo’s expertise in defence electronics and systems integration with Baykar’s extensive experience in UAV development and production.

By Tamilla Hasanova